Teachers must get COVID vaccine or get tested, CMS says. Here’s what to know.

Teachers in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools will soon be asked to provide proof they’re vaccinated against COVID-19 or agree to be tested regularly.

Testing for unvaccinated teachers and staff in the school district will begin within two weeks at the elementary school level. Testing for students who have COVID-19 symptoms or want to reduce time spent in quarantine after an exposure is expected to launch in October.

“This is something we’ve wanted for a long time to keep our students safe,” school board member Margaret Marshall said Tuesday night. “I’m supportive of this, and I hope parents look at this as a help for their community, (their children.”)

Beginning the week of Sept. 20, CMS employees will be asked to provide documentation of their vaccination status. Vaccinated staff must upload pictures of their vaccine card to confirm that they are vaccinated.

On Tuesday night during the CMS school board meeting, Christina Pejot, the district’s chief human resources officer, said district officials have been told that it is not appropriate to ask an employee why they’re not vaccinated.

“It’s going to be handled as discreetly as possible,” Pejot said. “This isn’t a vaccine mandate. ...Choose to get vaccinated or choose to submit to weekly testing.”

Pejot said she’s hoping that unvaccinated employees won’t refuse to get tested. But repeated failures to not comply will result in penalties, including termination.

“This is a mandate that employees must follow,” Pejot said. “We’re doing this to keep students and staff as safe as possible and healthy as possible.”

While testing of unvaccinated staff will be mandatory, families or students can opt in if a student wishes to be tested.

Lag in school COVID tests

Two school districts in the Triangle, The (Raleigh) News & Observer has reported, will require COVID-19 vaccinations of staff. The Charlotte Observer reported Tuesday that just one school in the local area, a public charter, is enforcing a vaccination mandate among staff, while also allowing religious or medical exemptions to the policy.

Earlier Tuesday on her Facebook page, board member Carol Sawyer said COVID-19 testing promotes healthy schools and a healthy community. It also aligns with local and state health officials who have advised that schools should use rapid COVID-19 testing on site for screening — particularly for any employee who isn’t vaccinated or does not provide proof they are vaccinated.

Unlike a number of major Charlotte employers, CMS has not been tracking vaccinations among staff or teachers.

The Charlotte Observer reported in August that Mecklenburg County Public Health Director Gibbie Harris urged CMS to figure out who on staff is vaccinated — and ensure any adult who isn’t provides proof of a negative test result weekly.

A program was supposed to be in place by the time school began Aug. 25, but the state lagged in providing a testing vendor for the district to use, CMS officials said.

Tuesday night, a few parents spoke out against mandatory testing during the public comment portion of the school board meeting. They asked why the board — the majority of members said they were excited about the testing program — did not vote on the decision.

Board officials clarified that the decision to test employees is an operational decision, which does not require a board vote.

NC charter school requires teachers get COVID vaccine, first in Charlotte region

Teacher COVID vaccines

CMS anticipates launching staff testing at half of its elementary schools, as well as Charlotte-Mecklenburg Academy and Metro School, the week of Sept. 27.

The week of Oct. 4 the program will expand to the other half of CMS elementary schools. Middle schools and K-8 schools will begin staff testing the week of Oct. 11, and high school staff testing will begin the week of Oct. 25.

Employees at transportation sites will be included in testing after all school sites are incorporated or as soon as possible during the phase-in of schools, according to information prepared for Tuesday’s school board meeting.

While almost every CMS school has encountered at least one case of COVID-19 among students or staff in recent weeks, the district has said outbreaks and widespread illness have been limited.

Only two clusters have been reported to health officials. A cluster is defined as five or more positive coronavirus cases in a two-week period in a school or child care facility after contact tracing concludes a link between the infections.

Like most public school systems in North Carolina, CMS requires every student and adult in school buildings to wear a mask.